Why try bungee jumping? 5 reasons to take the leap of faith

Extreme sports are not everyone’s cup of tea, and bungee jumping is as extreme as it gets without specialist training. For many this modern day leap of faith is the scariest thing they will ever do, so why try bungee jumping?

It’s understandable. Flinging yourself off a bridge, cliff edge, building or crane, with nothing more than a glorified elastic band attached to your ankles, does not come naturally. For many people the thought alone is enough to churn their stomach.

That said, the world divides into two types of people. Those who regard the idea of bungee jumping as utterly insane, and those who would love to take the plunge. Arguably, it’s the first group that needs convincing of the very real benefits, so here are 5 reasons to take the leap of faith and try bungee jumping.

Why try bungee jumping?

We’ve asked a selection of jumpers, from the very reluctant to the regular, ‘Why try bungee jumping?’. Strangely they’re answers were all pretty similar and can be summarised in the below 5 reasons to take the leap of faith.

Conquer your fears

Bungee Jumping is the perfect way to face your fears and confront them, head first. This doesn’t only apply to the obvious fears – fear of heights, fear of open spaces or being turned upside down – but your other fears in life too.

Summoning every ounce of courage, you overcome your inhibitions and terrors to take that leap of faith. And what may seem like the craziest idea you’ve ever had in your life will melt away the moment you’ve stepped off the edge. When you’re able to do this, any other challenges and fears in life will pale in comparison.

Feel truly alive

It may sound cheesy but it’s been confirmed many times: the experience of Bungee Jumping makes you feel truly ‘alive’. It’s all down to the adrenaline rush that you will start feeling even before the jump, as your heart rate and blood pressure goes up in anticipation as part of your body’s ‘flight or fight’ reaction to the perceived danger.

Once you’ve completed the jump, your body will also the release endorphins – the feel good hormones. These give you a feeling of euphoria and in combination with the adrenaline it makes you feel truly alive and happy. But don’t take our word for it, check out this article about the science of happiness by the Independent.

As you take the leap, safe in the knowledge that no harm will come to you, it’s a wonderful way to release of all your worries and problems. The natural high from the adrenaline and endorphins will ensure you feel more alive than you’ve ever felt before, and you’ll probably be planning your next Bungee Jump.

Have an adventure

If you always err on the side of caution and your life is safe and perhaps a bit dull it is a a great reason to try bungee jumping. It’s your chance to let go and live ‘on the edge’ and the perfect way to have an adventure with just the right amount of ‘danger’ to make it exciting.

While Bungee Jumping seems dangerous, it’s actually one of the safest sports – it has to be, otherwise it wouldn’t still be around. There has only been one fatality in the UK back in 2002 and since then no significant accidents, check out the UK Health and Safety Executive for more info on british bungee jumping safety.

A lot of safety testing and scientific calculations go into every piece of equipment and every jump. From the jumping height to the tension and tightness of ropes and straps, to bounces and deflections, safety is always the overriding consideration.

Be proud of your achievement

Not everyone is brave enough to take the proverbial leap of faith – but you did! It’s a huge personal achievement and definitely gives you bragging rights over your family, friends, colleagues, in fact everyone!

Make sure your get pictures of the experience or, better still, video footage you can share on social media. Many operators will give you a certificate to prove you’ve taken the jump. Having completed a Bungee Jump it’s not something to keep quiet about. Be proud of yourself!

Make memories

Better than any material possessions, great memories can last a lifetime. Whether you’re jumping on your own or with friends, one thing is for certain: the whole Bungee Jumping experience will be one you won’t forget in a hurry.

Every time you look at the pictures or rewatch the video, the experience will come flooding back as if it were yesterday. As experiences go, it’s a big one and the memory of it will be right up there with the best of them. That’s one to cross off your bucket list.

Brief history of bungee jumping

Bungee Jumping originated in the South Pacific island of Vanuatu. Using vines and a rickety platform it was an indigenous boys-to-men rite of passage ritual.

The activity came to the attention of the thrill seekers of the Oxford University Dangerous Sports Club. As you can see in this BBC archive, they organised the first modern jump, illegally, from Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge in 1979.

Organised commercial Bungee Jumping began with AJ Hackett in New Zealand in the 1980s. AJ promoted the sport with a whole range of crazy stunts, including bungee jumping from the Eiffel Tower – for which he was arrested by the French authorities.

These days, Bungee Jumping is a widely available activity – there’s no need to travel halfway around the world. Whether you wish to jump indoors or outdoors, in London or around the UK, there are many specialist operators offering Bungee Jumping experiences.

If you’re looking to give a special ‘experience’ gift, then we recommend you buy a voucher that can be redeemed at any of the locations across the UK. This is also a great way to motivate yourself to jump, as once you have paid out for a voucher you are much less likely to make excuses not to do it.

With the widest range of bungee jumping locations across the UK, we recommend Into The Blue. You can then choose to jump from one of their 12 locations spread all over the UK from Belfast to Brighton, Liverpool to London and Middlesbrough to Maidenhead.

Well we hope we answered the question ‘Why try bungee jumping?’, if you would like to give it a go outside the UK then check out our article about the best bungee jumping destinations worldwide.